# Pipe Tobacco and Apples



## Syekick (Jun 5, 2007)

I just recalled that my grandfather kept a large slice of apple in several of his pipe tobacco humidors. Have any of you heard of that? Humidity and flavoring would be my guess. He was born in 1888 if that gives you and idea of days gone by for this practice.


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## Don Fernando (Jan 1, 2000)

Might be neat to try, but only on a small amount & not for too long. I would think that there would be mold problems stemming from this.


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## EvanS (Dec 29, 2006)

A local tobacconist, where i bought my first briar and first B&M blend, told me to do this to keep things fresh.

Made everything taste like wet apples. He never did clarify though...I suppose the 1/2 of a Granny Smith might have been a mistake?


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

i had heard of this as well, it does keep the tobacco moist - but why would you want moist tobacco?


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## EvanS (Dec 29, 2006)

IHT said:


> i had heard of this as well, it does keep the tobacco moist - but why would you want moist tobacco?


Exactly what I thought to myself...about 5 seconds after my first serious bout of tongue bite


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## DubintheDam (Jun 5, 2007)

It's a well known trick, but, it can produce mold also, I would recommend moisture buttons, Indian free spirit tobacco company give them away free here in Europe..ask around, you can buy them on the web also.


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## The Pirate (May 20, 2007)

Moisture buttons are the way to go. Apples, oranges, and even potatoes do keep the tobacco moist, but that is the only benefit. The other side effects of this proceedure present nothing but problems. 
Ken


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## Mr.Lordi (May 20, 2007)

I heard this too, but I was told to do it with the Apple Tobbacco that I think John Middleton makes.

Makes more sense to do that, then with other tobacco.


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

Whats the best source for the buttons, I found one place where they a buck a piece, surely there must be better


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## Alpedhuez55 (Dec 16, 2005)

Try here:

https://www.lilbrown.com/Pipe-Accessories/POUCH-MOISTENER.htm

And get a couple of 8 oz packs of Penzance while you are shopping:

https://www.lilbrown.com/Pipe-Tobacco/BUTERA-TOBACCOS.htm


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

My dad (1910 p 2001), a Dunhill man, dropped a thinnish slice of apple in his pipe tobacco cannister every week or so (and took the dry one out) and ate the rest (of the apple, not the tobacco). Don't know if he updated his apple slices based on hunger, time, tobacco feel or what. The house was in Michigan and not airconditioned. If his tobacco had molded I'm pretty sure I would have heard him say something. 

The cannister was turned wood and didn't seal airtight; it had a green foam water-soaker pad on the underside of the lid and he didn't use it because he thought the apple slice kept the tobacco better moisturized and gave it a pleasing flavor hint. Hadn't thought about this in 50-years, Sy'ck. Thx.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Yeah, the apple slice is a great idea for tobacco that isn't going to be shelved for any amount of time. Most of the oldtimers around here had a regular tobacco or a few tobaccos they smoked all the time like my greatgrandfather had half&half, prince albert and one other. He smoked about ten bowls or more a day. His tobacco wouldn't really have time to get spoiled due to fungus, etc. Often he'd open a pouch and dry it out and then toss in the apple slice so the dry tobacco would absorb the apple flavor without becoming too moist to smoke, same thing we did with Skoal and peach schnapps when we were kids.

:tu


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## Syekick (Jun 5, 2007)

To recap: Just a memory that I shared and not thinking about putting apples in my meager pipe tobacco. This thread did teach me a lot and gave a glimpse of pipe tobacco history. Also got me to relive a some renewed memories of my grandfather. Thanks all.

A. So dry pipe tobacco = bad. It needs to stay slightly moist but nothing like the care that cigars require.

B. Buttons are the way to go.


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## 8ptstars (Aug 25, 2007)

:2

I prefer my pipe tobacco to be very dry, as dry as it can get without being crumbly. I never use any humidification devices at all, and only bother to repackage tobacco into bail tops or mason jars if I plan on storing them for at least a year. When I open a tin I will leave it open for a day or two and then simply store it in the tin with the lid on. It usually takes me a couple of months to finish a tin, and I've yet to have one become to dry to smoke.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

8ptstars said:


> :2
> 
> I prefer my pipe tobacco to be very dry, as dry as it can get without being crumbly. I never use any humidification devices at all, and only bother to repackage tobacco into bail tops or mason jars if I plan on storing them for at least a year. When I open a tin I will leave it open for a day or two and then simply store it in the tin with the lid on. It usually takes me a couple of months to finish a tin, and I've yet to have one become to dry to smoke.


Dag. Lemme guess... you live in Houston or Cincinnati.

Am I right am I right am I right? Puff-puff.

Am I right?


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## TimB (May 18, 2006)

I live in Houston and humidity is not a problem. I have the opposite problem drying out flakes (esp SG flakes) can take forever...

I have tins that I opened in January that still smoke great. In fact during the summer months I dont even put humidification devices in my cigar humidor (my smoking one, I have a coolerdoor that I keep at 70/70 at all times for aging). With nothing in there, just stogies in a desktop humidor the humidity stays at about 65% 

Too bad I smoke a cigar about once every 60 days since I got into pipes....


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## 8ptstars (Aug 25, 2007)

Mister Moo said:


> Dag. Lemme guess... you live in Houston or Cincinnati.
> 
> Am I right am I right am I right? Puff-puff.
> 
> Am I right?


I live in Seattle. Typically the winters are a bit humid, but the summers are quite dry. I simply believe that pipe tobacco usually smokes quite well when it's rather dry. Less bite, better flavor, easier burn.

This doesn't work for every blend though. I find Barbary Coast becomes incredibly acrid when too dry.


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## caskwith (Apr 10, 2006)

I would never do it with any of my tobacco as im too infrequent a smoker and they would certainly go mouldy. I guess the key is regular rotation of tobacco, im guessing that the people who did this were frequent smokers, smoking pretty much the same tobacco all day long which would be replaced probably weekly or somthing similar, i would also expect that only smallish quantities were kept on hand at any one time.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

8ptstars said:


> I live in Seattle. Typically the winters are a bit humid, but the summers are quite dry. I simply believe that pipe tobacco usually smokes quite well when it's rather dry. Less bite, better flavor, easier burn.
> 
> This doesn't work for every blend though. I find Barbary Coast becomes incredibly acrid when too dry.


Seattle! America's rain forest! (Welcome, sir.)


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